MEMBER NEWS

2026 Festival Retreat participants Folk Canada was pleased to host our 2026 Festival Retreat, April 19-21 at the Elmhirst Resort in Keene, ON. Each year, Folk Canada gathers the leadership of our Festival Member operations for 2 days of professional development, including hands-on workshops, sharing of best practices, and networking. Topics of discussion included Revenue Generation, Volunteer Recruitment & Retention, Governance, Marketing & Community Engagement, and an amazi

Listen and subscribe to Refolkus: https://refolkus.transistor.fm/subscribe This week we’re joined by Mark Steiner, founder of GigSalad. We get into his path through the music industry, from working as a booking agent to creating GigSalad. Drawing from his experience on the booking side, Mark shares insight into how talent gets matched with opportunities, what bookers are really looking for, and what actually makes artists stand out when it comes to getting booked. We also ta

беда: Put Trouble On My Tab @ Division 88 w/ music from Kizaba & Martin Ses Sunday, May 3, 2026 Division 88 - Toronto, ON Беда (BEDA) series is dedicated to the people who keep the city’s cultural and hospitality scene alive: musicians, restaurant workers, and tourism professionals who rarely get to experience the events they help make possible. This five-month series offers two shows each night with an early and a late performance, so those who work weekends can finally enjo

Lynne Hanson: Invisible I don’t know if you’ve ever felt invisible - not gone, not lost, just somehow overlooked. Like standing in full light and still fading at the edges. This song grew out of that feeling. It moves on a low, droning acoustic pulse that feels almost like a heartbeat you can’t quite steady, with producer Jim Bryson weaving in textures that shimmer and disappear just as quickly. It’s quieter than some of my songs, but it lingers - a ghost in the room, a que

James LeClaire: If Ever Seven years ago, a good friend of mine’s husband tragically lost his life. She was devastated. In an instant, the love of her life was gone. His retirement was only a few short years away and they had everything planned out, ready to enjoy their growing family and their time together. The absence of his love was impossible to ignore. One day, she said to me, “I want you to write a happy song.” It would be nice to write a happy song for my friend. But

Kaeley Jade: The Great Unknown Edmonton alt-folk artist Kaeley Jade has released her sophomore album, The Great Unknown. Recorded with JUNO-award winning producer Hill Kourkoutis, the album explores themes of change and resilience. TOUR DATES: Apr 24 - The Aviary - Edmonton, AB May 2 - Emmanuel United - Waterloo, ON May 3 - Second Wedge Brewing Co. - Uxbridge, ON May 5 - Departure - Toronto, ON “In writing The Great Unknown, I was interested in exploring the turning points w

The Family Name, Ethan Mitchell, & Matt Gower @ Art House Cafe Friday Night Folk Presented by CKCU Friday, May 1, 2026 - 8PM Art House Cafe - Ottawa, ON Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door CKCU Presents Friday Night Folk is a bi-monthly concert series at Art House Cafe. On the first Friday of every other month Art House Cafe will feature two folk acts, hosted by local singer-songwriter Matt Gower. The latest edition of Friday Night Folk showcases The Family Name and E

In this episode, we dive into a grounded conversation with Guatemalan singer-songwriter Paula Sofía, exploring how she balances her work as both a performing artist and a leader in the arts. Listen and subscribe: https://refolkus.transistor.fm/subscribe We get into what it really means to connect with an audience—how storytelling, vulnerability, and intimacy can turn a performance into something that truly resonates. Paula shares her perspective on songwriting, growth, and th

The Winnipeg Mandolin Orchestra @ Ukrainian Labour Temple May 9, 2026 - 7:30 pm Ukrainian Labour Temple - Winnipeg, MB Tickets from Eventbrite and at the door The Winnipeg Mandolin Orchestra is proud to present our first concert under the direction of our conductor, Slava, who has brought us a whole range of new music, including folk, world, jazz, and classical. This concert will feature an original work by Winnipeg fiddler Susan Israel. The concert takes place in the histo

Mélisande: On Tour On the heels of the release of her upcoming album Sur la même longueur d'onde on May 8th, multi-award-winning singer Mélisande is going on tour across Canada for concerts with her électrotrad band and her acoustic quintet. More details available on her website. Check out the dates!! ÉLECTROTRAD DATES : Apr 23 - Place Henri-Dunant - Montréal, QC Apr 25/26 - Festival Théâtre Jeunesse en Acadie - Caraquet, NB May 21 - Le Ministère - Montréal, QC ACOUSTIC Q